Project Management Specialists vs Purchasing Managers: Salary Comparison (2024)
Side-by-side salary comparison using 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Which Career Pays More?
Project Management Specialists professionals earn $100,750 more per year than Purchasing Managers professionals.
Top Paying Cities
Best Cities for Project Management Specialists
| City | Median |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $136,250 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $132,530 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $125,390 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $123,670 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $121,680 |
Best Cities for Purchasing Managers
| City | Median |
|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | $170,900 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $168,460 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $152,380 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $138,270 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $137,980 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who earns more: Project Management Specialists or Purchasing Managers?
Project Management Specialists professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $100,750 (null% higher) as of 2024 BLS data.
What is the salary range for Project Management Specialists?
Project Management Specialists salaries range from $59,830 (10th percentile) to $165,790 (90th percentile), with a median of $100,750.
What is the salary range for Purchasing Managers?
Salary data for Purchasing Managers is not currently available.
How many Project Management Specialists and Purchasing Managers jobs are there?
There are approximately 1,006,160 Project Management Specialists positions and N/A Purchasing Managers positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Purchasing Managers to Project Management Specialists?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Project Management Specialists has a median salary of $100,750 while Purchasing Managers earns $0. Consider job satisfaction, growth prospects, required education, and work-life balance.
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Data verified March 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS